In living the HardStyle I’ve shared with you some of life’s pleasures as well as some simple tips to break you out of the corporate, big media, induced slumber that most of society gladly has succumbed to.
For those unwilling to bend the knee there is a world of wonder, of joy, of enlightenment and of adventure. We can be Renaissance Men.
There is a place for us in this world of gluttonous, easily beguiled, simpletons. One of those joys, one of those passions, one of the things I give a shit about is Whiskey.
As we’ve discussed, I love Scotch.
I love the unique flavors, notes, different emotional responses elicited from the different regions of Scotland where it is produced. I love the earthy, melancholy, peatiness and smoke of the Islay regions best. But I love them all for different reasons. Each unique to best suit whatever mood or creative endeavor I may be engaged in.
I have since discovered American Whiskeys. And I must say I’ve unearthed a treasure I will be able to enjoy for many years to come. Right now my passion is Rye Whiskey.
Now, I never drink to get drunk. I’m a businessman. I let my clients drink to get drunk.
I let them bare their souls, share their secrets, release their inhibitions.
Getting your clients hammered is a great way to instantly earn their trust and their faith in you, especially when they tell you things they would never tell sober.
I’ve found that getting a client sloshed closes more business than a hundred PowerPoint presentations no one gives two shits about. I rarely have more than 3 drinks even when entertaining and babysitting clients.
Typically I’ll have one double Whiskey or Scotch Whiskey before bed as I lay working, writing, thinking. I find it helps me sleep and the savoring helps my creativity.
Sadly to this point, my exposure to American Whiskey had been limited to Jack, Makers, Bullet, Beam and other pure mixer Whiskeys. I wouldn’t have ever dreamed there was a whole world unique experiences similar to Scotch Whiskeys. I guess I was a bit of a snob and to my own detriment. We Yankees make Whiskey every bit as nuanced and interesting as the Scots. And often some special batches significantly less costly to imbue than the Scottish counterparts. That means you can find some really good shit cheaper than a lot of the better Scotch Whiskeys, for you dumb shits in the audience.
As I said earlier I’ve become quite the Rye Whiskey aficionado. So what’s the difference between Rye and Bourbon you ask?
Well, Bourbon uses corn mash, rye uses rye mash.
The corn mash is generally sweeter, the rye spicier, toastier.
For you kilt lovers, think of rye like the Islay, smokier, earthier. And the Bourbon like a Highland malt, sweeter and fruitier. Got it? Of course, there are a million interesting nuances that can be found by the better vintages and distillers.
My current favorite hands down is Few Rye.
It’s the most fascinating syrupy smoke. It’s only about $70.00 a bottle and to me, it blows away a $1000.00 bottle of Pappy.
My current favorite Bourbon is Blanton’s.
If you can even find it can be had for about $65.00 and to me it tastes exactly like Pappy Van Winkle, which as I’ve mentioned costs over a grand a bottle.
So hoist a glass, write something interesting, close a deal, strike up an interesting conversation with someone you care about or a stranger, paint something, draw something, debate, detach from the motherboard and enter the world of the living, create!!
Live the HardStyle, it’s wonderful.
